UI Will Cut 26 Jobs To Save $3.5 Million

The University of Idaho intends to cut back the equivalent of about 26 fulltime jobs for fiscal year 1997 as part of restructuring.

Interim President Thomas Bell on Friday gave the state Board of Education a tentative plan on how the school will eliminate, reduce or restructure programs. It has 2,566 employees.

Bell earlier announced the university would set that budget at 97 percent of the year before. Gov. Phil Batt had called for a 2 percent holdback. The extra 1 percent will be reallocated for special priorities and ongoing obligations, Bell said.

“This restructuring activity is intended to effect long-term reductions and changes in the way the university delivers programs and services,” Bell said.

He said 17 positions would go in academics, 10 in finance and administration, one in development, one from enrollment and two from the president’s area.

But he said the plan adds six positions with money returned after it was reallocated from campus operations to Idaho’s Boise engineering program.

The bottom line savings from the holdback and restructuring will amount to $3.5 million.

Financial Vice President Jerry Wallace said officials are fairly certain what positions will be cut.

“Certainly, I’ve talked to the directors in those departments but we haven’t talked to all the individuals yet,” Wallace said.

Among other suggestions to save money include reducing the number of sections in some courses, cutting travel by 10 percent, working more with nearby Washington State University and lowering the total number of credits needed to graduate.